Middletown South Routs Red Bank Catholic Behind Sullivan's Four Home Runs

Photo above: Sullivan about to take a cut in her record-setting day Monday

RED BANK – Middletown South’s leadoff hitter Ciara Sullivan lined a solo home run over the left field fence as the first batter up in Tuesday’s 18-5 drubbing of Red Bank Catholic before following that dinger with three more for a program-record four home runs.

It was the Georgetown University-bound centerfielder's first home run of the season and the first time in her career that she hit more than one homer in a game. She finished 4-for-4 with a walk, eight RBI and four runs scored and raised her season batting average from .305 to .471 in the process.

“I’ve never hit more than one home run in a game,” Sullivan said. “After the second one I definitely felt like I was in a zone. The first one I was like, ‘okay’ than after the second one I was like, ‘okay, I’m feeling it’. I never go up looking to hit home runs. I was just looking to tag a pitch like do every time at bat and look for a pitch to drive.”

Although the wind was blowing out Monday at Count Basie Fields, all of Sullivan’s blasts would’ve gone out of the park either way; all were no-doubt shots. On her third homer, she crushed a pitch over the dead-center field wall that landed on the roof of a vacant building.

“I’ve been here forever and I’ve never seen it happen,” long-time Middletown South head coach Tom Erbig said. “I’ve had two the most in a game, but never four. She hits the ball pretty well. She had a good preseason and we knew she could do that, but not four in a row.”

Erbig’s career record now stands at 719-227-1 and is two wins shy of matching retired Hunterdon Central coach Pete Fick’s record for most wins in state history.

Sullivan had previously set the program-record with four double's in a game in last season’s opening-day win over Freehold Township. She also drove in six runs in that game.

In a twist of fate, Sullivan was doubtful for Tuesday’s game after jamming her thumb diving back to first base in Friday’s 2-1 loss to Middletown North but after receiving weekend treatment she got the okay to go.

“I didn’t practice on Saturday because I couldn’t hold the ball or bat,” Sullivan said. “I was moving it around and kept icing it during the weekend, because I really wanted to play today especially after losing to Middletown North on Friday. We were psyched up for this game and had a lot more energy.”

After her solo shot in the top of the first, Sullivan followed with a two-run shot in the second, her monster two-run moon shot in the third, a walk in the fourth and finished off her career-day with a three-run jack over the center-field fence.

In the top of the first, Ally Massa followed Sullivan’s homer with a two-run shot of her own to give the Eagles an early 3-0 lead. However, Red Bank Catholic (3-2, 3-0) came right back with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning on a three-run clout by Casey first baseman and Furman University commit Tess Griswold to tie the game at 3-3.

But the Eagles (4-1, 3-1) broke the game wide open with four runs in the second and five in the third before exploding for six runs in the top of the fifth.

Senior first baseman Julia Blarr went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored while Massa finished 3-for-5 with a HR, two RBI and two runs scored for the Eagles.

Middletown South senior ace, Maddie McMahon picked up her fourth win of the season against one defeat giving up four earned runs on five hits, with six K’s and three BB. The Siena College commit entered the game having given up just one earned run in 27 innings pitched for a 0.250 ERA with 38 strike outs.

“They decided to come out and play today,” Erbig said. “They motivate themselves, they really do. I got a good group of seniors that are big leaders and their helping out. They’re the ones who stepped up today and made things happen.”

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